


The Ones Left Behind

by Crystalshard



Series: Clone Wars: Reconstruction Corps AU [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano Gets a Hug, Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, Ahsoka has just been through her first bad battle, Dealing With Trauma, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Off-screen Minor Character Death, Post-Battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:15:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29097144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crystalshard/pseuds/Crystalshard
Summary: After her first battle with major losses, Ahsoka holes up in a corner to process. But the 501st aren't going to let their little Commander cry alone, not when they can help.Also, Rex snuggles are the best snuggles.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano
Series: Clone Wars: Reconstruction Corps AU [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2048891
Comments: 21
Kudos: 214





	The Ones Left Behind

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by ["Hey Commander, did I ever tell you about the time...?"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28844649) by [cac0daemonia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cac0daemonia/pseuds/cac0daemonia). 



> Part of the Reconstruction Corps AU, based on Caco's glorious artwork.

"Hey, Commander?"

For a moment, Hardcase thought that Ahsoka hadn't heard him, that the muted noise from the rest of the hangar had drowned him out in the tucked-away corner the five of them had appropriated. Then, slowly, their little commander turned her face away from where she was bundled up against Rex's chest and fixed sad tooka eyes on Hardcase. 

"Did I ever tell you about the time I hid in the 'fresher after my first battle?" 

Ahsoka's tiny head-tilt was amplified by her montrals, and Hardcase figured that was as much interest as she was likely to show right now. Poor kid. She had to be chilled, even wearing Rex's spare blacks - the metal floor of the hangar was no fun to sit on. 

"I fell asleep. Rex had Jesse searching for me everywhere, until he found me five hours later in a locked stall, curled up just like you. Except not like you," Hardcase amended thoughtfully. "I didn't have a nice warm Rex to snuggle up to. Word of advice, never turn down Rex snuggles. Don't know what it is, but he runs hotter than any two clones combined." 

Jesse snorted from his spot by the wall, one hand pressed over Kix's heart and the other hanging loosely near Rex's thigh. "It's the rage," he pronounced knowingly. "That's why he's blond, too. All the heat boiled off the color." 

Ahsoka snorted a tiny laugh, then pressed her face back into Rex's blacks. 

Rex scowled in mock offense, knocking Jesse's leg lightly with the heel of his boot. "Now I know where all those rumors came from." 

"Rumors?" Jesse said in pretend shock. " Never. I have no idea who started them. Or the one about your hair turning blond because it was scared of you." 

"The only people who should be scared of Rex are the Separatists," said a watery voice from Rex's chest area. 

"Of course, Commander," Hardcase said promptly. "He's just a naturally warm person." 

Rex narrowed his eyes at Hardcase and opened his mouth, then looked startled and closed it again as muffled sobs turned his attention back to Ahsoka. "Ah. Okay. Yeah, let it out," he soothed, ignoring his brothers as he cuddled their little commander. 

Hardcase bit his lip as he watched Ahsoka's thin shoulders shake through her tears. He wanted to help, but he couldn't think of anything that might work. He'd just have to trust that Rex had her. 

"S-Scoot was cold when I found him," Ahsoka confessed. "H-he gave me a hug when we left, and then I fell over him and he was cold, and I c-couldn't even stop to mourn him." 

To Hardcase's surprise, Kix pulled himself out of his head enough to turn and answer. His armor still held streaks of red from where he'd tried and failed to save his brothers, or worse, where he'd succeeded and then seen them mown down minutes later. "It hurts," he said, voice rough from yelling over the noise of the battlefield. "It always hurts, being alive when they're dead. Grieving hurts worse, when you do it, but it's like draining an infected wound. It feels better later." 

"You sound like my teachers back at the Temple," Ahsoka said through her sniffles. "Feel it, understand it, let it happen and let it go." 

Hardcase thought about that. "That's a pretty complicated way of saying 'osik happens'," he decided. 

His brothers all chuckled, and Ahsoka's breathing hitched in what Hardcase hoped was amusement. 

Maybe they weren't okay right now, but they could be. They would be.


End file.
